


Free Falling

by Dyslexic_Marvel



Series: Change of Pace [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bulk Bruce, Established Relationship, Hulk and Bruce find a Balance, Hulkeye - Freeform, M/M, Protective Bruce, Protective Clint, Routine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-03
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-01-21 18:22:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1559732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dyslexic_Marvel/pseuds/Dyslexic_Marvel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce and Clint have been seeing each other for about a year. Bruce has managed with Clint to find a great balance with the Hulk. Clint has managed to get most of his tremors under control and he doesn't feel as cold anymore. They have a great routine going until something isn't right. Very quickly things aren't right. Doesn't seem fair for Clint, Bruce, or the rest of the team now that they finally have lives of their own, and people to come home too. </p><p>(Highly suggested you read the first in the series! "All Along the Watch Tower")</p><p>(Beta'd by qwanderer! Thanks so much as always!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Change in Routine

“BIRDIE NO FLY! BIRDIE NO FLY!” Hulk yelled as he frantically scrambled up a building to try and catch Clint. Clint had, as always, gotten himself into a position where it was overwhelmed by minions, and had to jump. He had been trying to fire a specialty arrow at the shield generator sectioning them off from the rest of the city. Needless to say the Hulk was not happy at Clint’s choice perch to make the shot.

 

The Hulk vaulted himself off the crumbling building, catching Clint mid fall. He curled himself into a ball, shielding Clint from the smash of them falling through a glass skylight. Hulk landed with a grunt and slowly let his arms fall to his side after the glass finished falling around them. Clint was perfectly protected against his chest. Rollin off of him which a “whoop!” of cheer.

 

“Nice catch Big Guy! Got my shot off before you snagged me and everything!” Clint was so proud. Now that the shields were down, the other Avengers would make easy work of clearing the minions and saving the civilians. Hulk and Clint’s main jobs were done. “Man, if we head home now we can probably make Dog Cops!” Clint was too excited to realize that the Hulk was growling at him.

 

“Birdie being careless for no REASON!” Hulk sat up scolding him. His look was stern but not angry, worry ridden more like it. “Birdie needs to think before he leaps. Hulk not always there to catch you! Must learn to not need catching!” The Hulk pouted and crossed his arms over his giant chest. There was something very Bruce-like in the way he was scowling. All he needed were giant glasses to fiddle with and he’d have the mothering Bruce look down perfectly.

 

“But Green, we did it! We were able to take down the generator and the others are taking care of the bad guys now! I had to make the shot.” Clint hated having the Hulk upset about him. Felt like he’d disappointed his best friend.

 

“Hulk knows Birdie must do job. But job can’t be done if Bridie dies.” Hulk looked away from Clint at all the destruction around them, and at the dead minions all around them. He slowly poked a body with his foot, almost jumping when it’s helmet rolled away, the thing’s head still inside. The Hulk grimaced. “Hulk need Bridie, Bridie can’t leave Hulk. Not like that.” As he looked back at Clint, he could almost see tears in the Big Guy’s eyes.

 

“I know Big Guy. I know, I’m sorry.” Clint walking up to him and hugged his arm, it was the only thing Clint could fully reach around. “No promises, but I’ll try.” Smiling like he did at Bruce, because Bruce was in there.

 

Hulk let out a huge sigh, carefully rubbed the back of Clint’s head. “Birdie lucky he’s cared for. Wouldn’t have made it very far otherwise.” He said grinning ear to ear, because he knew it was true. He honestly liked that Clint relied on him; just wished Clint wasn’t always in danger.

 

“Don’t you know it Jolly Green! Come on Robin Hood, you two can flirt when we get back home. We need to move out.” Tony flew by and landed in front of them. “S.H.I.E.L.D’s handling the rest of the clean up so we can be up and running back in time for Dog Cops!”

 

* * *

 

 

The team had gotten much closer over the past year or so. It’s been about 2 years since Manhattan and luckily nothing has come close to that scale since. A few minor attacks on New York, a few international they got called in on. But nothing too bad. They’ve been able to concentrate on becoming a better team, and having lives outside of being heroes, that certainly included Bruce and Clint. They’ve been together for about a year now and seemed that were happier everyday, much to the disgust of Tony and Natasha. Tony always said they were so sweet together they gave him Diabetes. Natasha was obviously happy for Clint (As obviously as she could show any emotion,) but she always made it clear to Bruce if he ever hurt Clint she’d personally find a way to kill him before the Hulk had a chance to save him. It was an empty threat but Bruce actually liked knowing Clint had someone else to rely on if god forbid something happened to him.

 

As they made their way to the jet, Hulk slowly shifted back, saying bye to everyone over comm and managed to keep walking while he transformed into Bruce. It always looked cool as hell when it happened. It was another huge development over the past few months, Bruce and the Hulk had reached a HUGE understanding, and a great balance. Bruce hadn’t had an accident in about 9 months, and the one he did have completely wasn’t his fault. After a battle, once Bruce had de-Hulked, one last robot Tony had been trying to save to study, managed to shoot Bruce with pure adrenaline. He instantly Hulked out, but even then he wasn’t destructive. He knew the battle was over and there was no danger but he had a lot of energy to burn. A lot a lot. So he went for a swim… a 150 mile swim from the mouth of the Hudson to Cohoes Falls in Upstate NY. Once he got there and couldn’t get up the cliffs, he climbed on a bridge and reverted back to Bruce, who was then naked and without his comm because they hadn’t Hulk proofed his comms yet… or his pants. So that was fun.

 

Since Bruce and Clint have been together they’ve specifically worked on getting Bruce and the Hulk to cooperate more. Basically they had to because the Hulk had become just as possessive of Clint as Bruce was and so to avoid envy Hulk outs, they’ve worked on finding a balance in Bruce’s form. This has had a huge double benefit that Bruce is also more present in Hulk’s form as well. He talks in more completely sentences, can follow more complex instructions, even gives ideas of his own. Clint’s favorite parts though are the physical changes in Bruce. He’s more buff, all the time now, his eyes are generally more green, his voice is a little deeper and he can be a bit more assertive. Or as Clint would say, a fucking god in bed.

 

At first Bruce would apologize if he let loose a little during sex, but once Clint made him watch a video of them (Yes Clint had J.A.R.V.I.S record them, he ended up being a great cinematographer too), Bruce saw just how _good_ he made it for Clint. During the heat of the moment it’s hard to notice the details but watching it after the fact he can see how he really makes Clint fall apart at the seems. He sees Clint in the throws of passion and he’s the one causing all of them. So after Bruce took Clint, yet again. He’d promised to let go a little more often. For Clint’s sake of course.

 

Once back on the carrier, Bruce pretty much falls asleep in Clint’s lap. He said he’ll teach him a lesson later. The talking to the Hulk gave him was probably effective enough for now. The rest of the team found their banter amusing, they knew if anyone had any chance to talk some sense into Clint, it’d be Bruce. Even Natasha gave up on that one. They all observed from the sidelines, happy to see their teammates at peace, probably for the first time.

 

They also cared enough to learn Bruce’s and Clint’s routines. Both of them seemed to thrive on that, and the team was more than happy to indulge if it kept things flowing smoothly and everyone happy. For example, after a battle, Bruce fall asleep on Clint, Clint carries him to their apartment (Clint moved into Bruce’s place pretty much as soon as they started dating, not that he hadn’t been pretty much living there anyway. But that’s besides the point.) Clint would put Bruce to bed, have food waiting for him when he woke up, Bruce would eat and then fuck Clint’s brains out. So the team quickly learned not to disturb them for about 12 – 18 hours post battle… sometimes longer if Clint had done something specifically stupid, this was probably going to be one of those times. Tony sometimes “Forgot” and would walk in on the two of them and make some comment about how the two of them should consider sharing Bruce. Which is generally enough to make Clint throw something at Tony’s head, or Bruce to go slightly green and scare Tony away. Ah, teammates.

 

So once they landed at the tower, the routine began. Clint carried Bruce to their room and laid him down in bed. As he went to go to the kitchen, something grabbed his wrist and yanked him back on to the bed, and suddenly he was pinned from head to toe by a very angry, lustful looking Bruce Banner.

 

“I thought the lecture I got from Hulk was enough of a punishment Doc.” Clint said being cocky on purpose.

 

“I never said that was your punishment. Well, actually, I’m pretty sure what I have in store for you, you wouldn’t exactly consider punishment either. I think you just need reassurance of what you’d be missing if you died.” As he purred these words, he slowly nuzzled his way down Clints neck, biting and making small nips along the way. He was _well_ practiced at taking off Clint’s tactical vest now, and was doing so with one hand. “You need a reminder apparently that your life isn’t just your own.” Slowly raising his hand up to Clint’s throat, gripping ever so slightly. Just as he finished the vest he stilled his hand just over the fly of his pants, “Your life is mine.” Bruce suddenly crashed their mouths together, and forced his other hand down Clint’s pants with way more force than necessary. But it had the desired effect when Clint arched his hips and nearly cried into the kiss.

 

Things quickly escalated and soon Bruce was pounding Clint into the mattress. Clint on his chest, ass in the air, and arms pinned in the small of his back. Bruce was putting all his weight on Clint’s hands and back; fucking him so hard he made a mental note to reinforce the bed frame… again. As he pumped harder and harder Clint let go of any filter he had and was crying out at every thrust.

“Ah! Bruce Fuck. ghmm shi... Ahh, I” Clint couldn’t really form words anymore. Which is what Bruce wanted, he wanted Clint to listen.

 

Shifting one of his hands to Clint’s scalp, he pulled tight and whispered into his ear, “Remember Bridie, you’re mine. Mine and the Hulk’s. We will do anything we need to, to get you to understand that.” He pulled again eliciting another whine from Clint, “To keep you safe.” Adding a few harder thrusts to the mix to make sure he had Clint’s attention. “You’re mine Barton. Say it.”

 

“I, ahh, I’m… guhhh,” Clint’s mind was so lost in the white haze that his mouth wasn’t listening to him.

 

Yanking again. “ _Say it.”_ That was the Hulk’s voice. Not Bruce’s. Oh Fuck Clint was in trouble. Bruce started pounding him harder than he ever had. “Say it. _Say. IT.”_

“I’m Yours! I’m Yours oh God I’m Yours! AHGHAHAA!” And he came like a bolt of lighting from Thor’s hammer. Body contracting so much he thought he’d turn Bruce clenching around him so hard. Shooting cum up the bed spread and onto the head board.

 

Seeing this, as Clint came Bruce let go of his hair and moved one hand to his hip and the other to the bedrail, changing his angle to his Clint’s prostate on every thrust, making sure he made his orgasm last until Bruce came. It didn’t take long and Bruce was crying out a roar that had only been heard from the Hulk before now. Spilling inside of Clint, which Clint thought was much, much too rare of a thing. As Clint just laid there, feeling Bruce fill him up, he shuddered in aftershocks, almost as good as his orgasm had been, the white haze slowly clearing.

 

As Bruce gave a few final shudders, he lowered his hands, withdrew from Clint as carefully as he could and fell face first onto the mattress next to Clint. It took all of Clint’s energy to turn his head to his lover. He just grinned and stared at Bruce, who was still trying to catch his breath. Clint slowly brought hand up and brushed a few curls out of Bruce’s face.

 

Bruce slowly opened his eyes and smiled; a relaxed smile he only gave to Clint. Clint cupped his face and leaned his forehead against his lovers. Softly he murmured, “You forgot one thing.”

 

Bruce smirked and slowly nuzzled Clint’s face, “And what’s that love.”

 

Slowly Clint kissed Bruce and whispered, “You’re mine too.”

 

Bruce pulled back and locked eyes with the man of his dreams. He never thought he’d deserve anyone like Clint or even have a chance to be this happy. This _truly_ happy… With tears forming in his eyes he brought his mouth to Clint’s in a series of soft, but firm kisses. Murmuring, “Yours… yours.” Over and over again, until they both fell asleep. Happy to have broken routine for once.

 


	2. The First Bump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get interesting in the Lab, and an email adds new prospects for Bruce's free time.
> 
>  
> 
> NOTE: Thank you all SO MUCH for reading and sticking with this story. All your comments and thoughts got me to want to write again!
> 
> 2ND NOTE: This is now the Beta'd version of this chapter! Thanks again to Qwanderer!

             “I’m telling you. J.A.R.V.I.S., reverse polarity and amplify the sonic resonance by 7%,” Tony whined at his AI.

 

“Sir, I would strongly reconsider…”

 

“Tony, I agree with J.A.R.V.I.S., that’s not a good…”

 

“Bruce, not you too. J.A.R.V.I.S., do it!!!” Tony all but yelled as he quickly put in his ear protection. 

 

The second Bruce heard the oscillations he frantically tried to put on his eye and ear protection only to suddenly be engulfed in a huge sonic boom in the middle of the room. Papers and glass went flying as Bruce was thrown against the wall. A second later he heard Tony bouncing over a desk and landing on his hands and knees. If it wasn’t for the blazing pain in his hands and head Bruce would have run over to check Tony. But as it was he was trying desperately to keep the other guy from thinking he had been attacked. 

 

Just an experiment gone wrong, just an experiment gone wrong. God if that isn’t familiar…

 

As Bruce tried to calm himself, Tony frantically started yelling, “Failsafe, Kappa 74B!! Stop the damn Oscillator J.A.R.V.I.S.!!!” Tony’s head was cut from where it looked like his goggles had literally exploded off his face. Thank god none of the shrapnel got in his eyes since he never bothered to actually put the damn goggles on. Always wearing them on his head saying, “They look cool!”

 

Bruce seemed to have stopped the transformation but he was still way too close to the edge for his liking.  We are in the Tower, Tony’s fine. So are we. We. Are. Fine. 

 

As the machines started to slow down and Tony started to rise to his feet, Dum-E came over with a fire extinguisher. “Damn it Dum-E!! Does it look like there’s a fire?!?” he said, batting the extinguisher out of his face, and turned to where Bruce had been standing. As he turned he saw Bruce across the room slowly getting to his knees. “Shit!! Big guy, you’re bleeding, are you okay?!?!” Running over to Bruce.

 

Fuck, my blood. 

 

“Stay Back Tony!” Bruce frantically yelled. “I’m bleeding and am radioactive. You need to leave NOW!” Trying to both get away from Tony and keep pressure applied to the deep cut on his arm, with his badly bleeding hand... That was going to do a lot of good. He needed to get to the Hulk room, which was just off the main lab for Hulk based experiments. There he could decontaminate himself and try to stitch himself up a bit, or transform and heal instantly, though he really hated using that method.

 

“But Big Guy, you’re bleeding pretty bad, you need to get looked at.”

 

“METAL HEAD LEAVE!! NOW!” Suddenly Bruce’s voice was not his own and his eyes flashed a volatile green, showing how close to the surface the Big Guy was.  He didn’t want to make a full appearance, acknowledging that there had been enough destruction in the lab for one day, but knew he could heal Bruce if he did. So while he was uncertain about that, he KNEW Tony couldn’t stay. He could kill him even as the Little Guy.

 

Tony looked shocked at the Hulk's brief appearance, but wasn’t scared. “Alright Big Guy, I’ll go get a radiation crew in here and someone in protective gear to come stitch you up, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can, Big Guy, hold on. Dum-E, keep an eye on him!!”

 

Bruce barely heard the end of what Tony was saying because he had already crossed into the Hulk’s room and shut the door. Dum-E on his tail. At least the robot couldn’t be hurt by the radiation. Once on the other side, he stumbled over to a storage area where he knew medical supplies were kept. You know, just in case. Not that Bruce was normally the one who needed them, but they were good to have. He slowly settled against the wall and started assessing the damage. Dum-E, at a loss for how to help, started closing the drawers Bruce had left open. Good Dum-E.

 

With a slight cringe Bruce shrugged out of what was left of his shirt. As he pulled away the ripped scraps of his shirt that were stuck to his skin, the lacerations were already knitting together, green tinges around the edges of the cuts.

 

“Huh…. That’s new,” Bruce said mostly to himself. Softly the Hulk rumbled inside,  Little guy needs to be more careful. Not get careless like Birdie, or Metal Head maniac sometimes… At that Bruce let out a guttural laugh, which seemed to be twinged with the Hulk’s chuckle as well.

 

“…How hard did you hit your head, Doc?” 

 

Bruce, wiping tears from his eyes, turned and saw Clint in a decontamination suit, waiting for his clearance code to let him in. Bruce just smiled and chuckled again, glad to see Clint wasn’t being stupid and not wearing protective gear. Once let in, Clint went right to Bruce’s side, brushing his hair out of his eyes as he knelt. They were always good at reading each other, and Clint could tell Bruce and the Big Guy were fine.

 

“Seriously Doc, Tony practically cried, saying the Hulk had yelled at him through you. Made me think something was seriously wrong, you okay Big Guy? You look like you got cut up pretty bad.” Slowly running his hand along the side of his face where blood had run out of Bruce’s hair line. Dum-E made a chirp noise, and they both turned their heads to see the robot waving a white hanky at them. Clint smiled, “Thanks Dum-E,” and slowly began to wipe Bruce’s face.

 

Bruce started to chuckle again, leaning into the touch. “Oddly enough I’m pretty much fine now. The Big Guy apparently thought I was taking after you for being careless. So he took care of me too.” Rolling up his tattered sleeve again he showed Clint where the deep gash had been. Now just blood crusted and tender, there wasn’t a mark from where the gash had been.

 

Clint just stared, and then smiled, “Huh, well. Looks like the Big Guy takes care of both of us.“ Standing up, keeping Bruce’s hand in his, he helped him to his feet. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Big Guy. “

 

After a decontamination shower, then a normal shower followed by shower sex, they eventually made their way back to the common room. The lab was being decontaminated and would be out of use for about a few days. Which they only knew about because they heard Tony bitching about it from halfway across the floor.

 

“What do they mean it’s going to be a day before we can even get the construction crew in here! Come on Pep, you’re killing me!....” 

 

“Tony, if you whine anymore we are going to have to get some cheese and crackers to go with it.” Clint chuckled as he pulled up a stool and patted the one next to him for Bruce.  “Being out of the Lab for a while will do both of you good.”

 

Tony had hung up the phone when he realized he wasn’t going to win this one. “Yeah, well apparently the decontamination process has to set for a certain amount of time, plus clean up time for the Agents themselves. Ugh. Bruce, from now on you need to wear padding everywhere.”

 

Bruce snorted, “Well apparently the Other Guy thinks you can be a maniac, so maybe you’re the one who should wear the padding. Or at least listen when both J.A.R.V.I.S., and I say something isn’t going to end well.”

 

“What’re you talking about? The Big Green loves me! We’re buds… Right?”

 

Shaking his head, of course Tony would miss the point, “Yes, Tony, you are. Just be more careful.”

 

Clint suddenly stood between Tony and Bruce, “Hi Pot, meet Kettle. Kettle, Pot.” Gesturing between the two frantically. Almost simultaneously, Bruce and Tony whapped Clint upside the head, smirking as they did.

  
  


“So what’re you going to do with your new found lab freedom?” Clint asked as he rolled over, flopping half on top of Bruce. As usual, they’d just finished another intense sex session, as they always did when someone did something stupid, though it was new that Bruce was the source of today’s stupidity. 

 

“I don’t know. There’s a new children’s hospital opening up in the Bronx, maybe I’ll go see if they need any volunteers for a few days.”

 

“You could just take some time off, Doc. I’m heading out for another mission tomorrow but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy your free time,” Clint said, only somewhat convincing. He wasn’t really keen on the timing of his next mission. It was going to be another long one. Probably around  a month, and honestly he was worried what Bruce would do without him for that long. Or how everyone else would hold up dealing with a Clint-less Bruce for that matter. This would be the longest mission he’d been sent on since they'd gotten together. Clint was also being a little possessive after seeing Bruce covered in blood earlier in the day.

 

“I’ll be fine. I can’t really think of anything that would be too fun without you anyway.” Leaning down to place a long kiss on Clint’s head. Nuzzling and enjoying the smell of his partner… When had they crossed that line in Bruce’s head… he didn’t know.

 

Then his phone chirped, signaling an email, probably Tony bugging him with lab redesigns. But when he picked up his phone he was shocked to see another name in the sender box:

 

Elizabeth Ross.

 

“Huh…” Bruce said absentmindedly as he opened the email.

 

Clint had sat up with Bruce and started to stretch. They’d had to take it a little easier than usual since Clint couldn’t have any exterior injuries or bruises going into this mission.  He was still pleasantly sore. “What’s the email? Anything interesting?” He got up and started heading to the shower.

 

“Well, I think I found something to keep me occupied while you’re away…” Bruce said, rereading the email for the 4 th time already.

 

Clint stopped in the doorway and turned back to Bruce, “What’s that?”

 

With a soft smile, “Betty wants to get coffee.” 


	3. First Step Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce doesn't last long once Clint leaves on the mission. Only the day after Clint heads out Bruce arranges to meet Betty for Coffee. He should have known this wasn't just a social call...

Clint left early the next morning. Bruce tried not to let it get to him, it was only a month, but he lasted all of two hours before he felt his skin begin to crawl. Clint had been excited Betty wanted to get together, knowing how much she meant to Bruce. Though, he didn’t know the whole story, if he did he might have changed his mind. Bruce shook those thoughts out of his head. Of course it wouldn’t, Clint has plenty of his own skeletons he hasn’t shared with Bruce yet. It’s only fair he has some of his own.

 

Bruce had been in one of the libraries doing research before he couldn’t take it anymore. He stormed back to his and Clint’s apartment to find Clint had left his favorite blanket folded up on Bruce’s side of the bed, attached a little note read, “Keep it warm for me.” As sweet as it was, Bruce knew he couldn’t spend much time alone in the apartment either. So, he called Betty and they made plans to meet the next day.

 

* * *

 

They decided to meet at a coffee shop just off of Times Square. Normally Bruce avoided it with a fiery burning passion, but Betty had been pretty insistent. She said she loved the tiny waffles they served. Bruce arrived a good 15 minutes early, got his tea and went to find a seat, only to see Betty was already there.

 

They made eye contact and Bruce smiled, “Well this is new, normally you show up the customary fashionable 5 to 10 late.” As he sat he knew something was a miss but couldn’t put his finger on it. He figured it was nerves after not seeing each other for close to 10 years. And the awkward separation it had been.

 

“Yeah, well people change as you know.” She said with a soft smile alluding to their, um, difficult friendship.

 

They quickly fell into easy conversation as they always did. Talking of work, and new research in the field. They even started talking about the Hulk, and how he’s formed a much more balanced relationship with Bruce. Betty had such a warm smile on, “I knew he was more than just a thing of rage.” There was something sad in her smile. Again Bruce figured it was from their past and tried to just enjoy her company. He really had missed it.

 

“Yeah well, it took quite a few people telling me that for me to finally understand it.” Bruce smiled, thinking of Clint.

 

“Also, what is this I hear about the Avengers having a couple of out super heroes on the team?” A more genuine, smile sneaking up on her face.

 

Bruce blushed like mad. Of course she’d seen the news coverage. After Bruce and Clint had been going out for a while, Clint let their relationship slip during a national team interview. Everyone had expected Bruce to flip, given he really hated dealing with the media, but Bruce had just shrugged and confirmed it. All he said about it was, “Clint was the first person to make him feel like Bruce first and the Hulk second, but never forgetting we’re one.” That earned him huge kiss on national television so staying in the closet was no longer an option at all.

 

Bruce blushed, and slowly nodded his head

 

“You seem… happy.” Betty said with a soft, soft smile.

 

“I am, I mean really. Clint and I kind of started without realizing it and it turned into the best thing in my life.” Bruce fiddled with his cup, suddenly awkward talking to his Ex, someone who once filled that “best thing in his life” role, and now… now he didn’t know what they were.

 

Betty slid her hand across to his and gave a small squeeze, “I’d love to hear about him, if you’ll tell me.”

 

_Of course Betty would want to hear._ He gave her a heartfelt smile. “Of course.” Leaning slightly towards her so he could speak a little quieter “We started just over a year ago… Kind of. I was trying to help him fight some of his demons left over from Manhattan, and he ended up helping me face mine.” Bruce slowly ran his thumb along his mug, as he would if it had been Clint’s hand. “He’s everything.”

 

At that Betty withdrew her hands and grabbed her mug, taking a small sip. “Where is he now?”

 

“He had to go on a month long mission. He only left yesterday so it’s going to be a long twenty-eight days. Sometimes they run long too.” Bruce didn’t want to think about that. The month was long enough. He almost startled himself when he realized he hadn’t asked anything about Betty’s life. “But, where are my manners, how are you? I see the wedding band.”

 

Betty’s tiny smile fades and she puts down her mug, hiding her hands in her lap, starting to tear up.

 

Bruce is confused, “I’m sorry, Betty.” As she begins to cry, he circles around the table and pulls her to him. “Bet, what’s wrong?”

 

As she shakes through her tears Betty clings to Bruce’s shirt burying her face in Bruce’s shoulder. Bruce slowly rubs small circles on her back and just lets her weep.

 

Eventually she calms down but doesn’t pull away. “He died.” Is all she can say before she tenses again trying to fight back the tears.

 

Bruce has no idea what to say besides, “Oh hun, I’m so sorry” and pulls her close again. As she starts to relax again he softly asks, “Do you want to talk about it?” She frantically shakes her head and pulls away. He knows there’s a story. He just hopes Betty still trusts him enough to tell him.

 

“I can’t. Not, not yet” She said wiping her eyes. Suddenly her resolve back, she looked back up at Bruce, dead set, but sad, mournful eyes looking back at him. “I. I just lost him and I don’t have much to remember him by…” It seems to be a rehearsed response, which Bruce can partially understand. Though he’d like to think she could speak freely to him. “I don’t have much,” she says again, with more resolve, “but I have our daughter…Rebecca.”  
  
Bruce had been smiling but his face froze when he heard the name. _Rebecca…_ “You didn’t…?”

 

“Name her after your mother? Of course… when we found out it was going to be a girl, it was either that or Susan… but Kevin didn’t like Susan, reminded him of a crazy Professor he had in college.” She said with another soft smile.

 

Bruce was so touched he couldn’t think straight. Betty hadn’t even met his mother before she died and yet. He wanted to question her, why Bruce’s mother was honored this way, but he knew better than to questions such a meaningful gift. “Do you have a picture of her?” Is all he managed to ask.

 

Betty looked sad again, and nodded, clicking through her phone. When she apparently found the picture she stared at it for a few moments before starting to tear up again. “Here’s my girl.” Passing Bruce the and turning to her purse.

 

The little girl was adorable. She already reminded Bruce of Betty, specifically when he first met her in college. Small but obviously feisty. A fire in her eye, that looked like would burn forever. _She has Betty’s smile_. Just as he went to hadn’t the phone back, the screen changed. To a text message… for him?

 

“Ah, I think you got a text.” He say starting to hand the phone back. When he looked at Betty she had a dead serious look in her eyes, still sad, and specifically not looking at Bruce.

 

“No, it’s for you. You’ll need these.” Handing him headphones.

 

“Betty I don’t understand.” Bruce was so confused and really didn’t like where this was going.

 

“We can’t leave until you’ve listened to the whole thing, then you’ll understand.” She kept her eyes determined but firmly placed on the phone. She let out a long breath, slowly steadying herself. Making eye contact with Bruce for the first time, tears silently falling down her face. “Just know… I am so sorry.”

 

Bruce just stared at Betty, knowing whatever was going on wasn’t good, but also wasn’t her fault. He just nodded, plugging the headphones in, and turning his attention to the phone. After a moment a video began to play, meant to look like a normal text screen, but with audio over the top. The video seemed to be random at first, until a voice cut in. A voice Bruce had hopped never to hear again.

 

“Hello Banner. Glad to see you still can’t refuse any requests from Betty.” _Fucking Ross._ It’d been years since he’d had to deal with him, and hoped now that Bruce was an Avenger, that he’d be out of reach. Always hoping for too much Banner…

 

“As you just learned, my little girl has one of her own now, and had a happy little family, until she decided to stick her neck out for you. Again.” Bruce’s eyes shot open and glance at Betty, whose eyes haven’t left the phone in his hands, even as she silently wept. “I’m cutting right to the chase Banner. Kevin Stern used to work for me. He didn’t know what exactly he was working on and felt the need stuck his neck where it didn’t belong and it got him killed.” Bruce was holding the phone so tightly he started to hear the plastic creak. Both he and the Big Guy were pulsing with the need to wring Ross’s neck. “Stern was a Military doctor with an interest in radiation and chemical treatments. When he realized he was working on Gamma Dampener weaponry, he stupidly talked to Betty, and quit. Or at least he thought he could quit.” Bruce was shaking with rage, just as much as Betty was with grief. Bruce half wished Ross was here so he could just ask what he wanted, or to kill him. Preferably the latter. “He died saving your hide. Enjoy another death on your shoulders.”

 

Bruce’s anger wasn’t just directed at Ross, it was at Betty for protecting him again. He didn’t need protection. He never did. He couldn’t be killed, as far as he knew. And at last Betty had heard, he would have welcomed it anyway. And that’s why he was angry with himself too. People always went out of their way to protect him and they got hurt or killed. This is why emotional attachments never were a good idea. Bruce kept himself from thinking of Clint as the audio started again.

 

“So here’s what I want Banner. You’re going to go back to your hero Dorm in Stark’s tower, tell him and whoever else you need to that you’re going out of town while your Agent fling is gone.” Ross’s tone perfectly conveyed the threat he left unsaid. He knew Clint was on a mission, and knew he could at least put his life in serous danger if not flat out kill him. _Ross you son of a bitch_. “You’re going to get your affairs in order Banner. Make it so that no one will come look for you for a while. Then you’re gong to meet Betty for coffee again here tomorrow, and don’t worry about the rest. You’ll get filled in soon enough.”

 

_I can get out of it. Have Tony and a S.H.I.E.L.D team waiting when we get coffee tomorrow and they can get Betty out of here safely and we will be fine. That could work ri…_

 

“Oh and Banner, if you’re wondering why you should do this because ;” The fake screen that had been dancing across the phone suddenly changed to a what appeared to be a video feed. Of Rebecca playing on the floor of Ross’s office. Ross sitting behind his desk staring at her. Bruce froze in horror at what this meant. Why Betty had been so sad when she showed Bruce the photo of Rebecca.

 

“God Damn you Ross” Bruce seethed through clenched teeth. Betty was visibly shaking now her head in her hands folded on the table.

 

The Ross on the screen slowly got up, walked around his desk and knelt next to his granddaughter. “Now you may think I’m a monster, but know two things Banner, I will not put my Granddaughter in danger but if you don’t follow my instructions, Betty will never her Becca again.” Slowly turning his head back to the camera as he starts running his hair through the little girls auburn curls. “Are we clear, Bruce?” And the video promptly cut out.

 

Slowly Bruce set the phone down and took off his headphones. Sliding them across to Betty, who hadn’t moved, though her shaking seemed to have ended with the video. Slowly Bruce stood up, grabbing his jacket and putting it back on. As he turned to head to the door Betty raised her head but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

 

“Bruce,” She almost choked. Bruce stopped and listened, slighting inclining his head to show he was listening. “Bruce, I’m. I’m so sorry”

 

He shifted awkwardly on his feet. “You…” He slowly clenched his hands his knuckles going white under the pressure. When he heard another soft whimper from Betty he turned, “You have nothing. Nothing, to be sorry for.” As he finished one tear rolled down his check. She stilled and gave him a thankful, sorrowful face. He slowly turned back towards the exit and murmured, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And left.

 

He had preparations to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Really. Thanks to EVERYONE for the awesome comments and such. Sorry again this took so long. Real Life is a drag sometimes. Hopefully this chapter was a little bit of a surprise, so some of you guessed close but I have a few extra bumps along the way. 
> 
> Also I know a lot of you have been asking for longer chapters but I think I'm going to stick to keeping each one between 2,000 and 4,000 words. Some may be longer, some may be shorter depends on the arch of the chapter. So stay tuned! Things get exciting from here!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone!!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who commented, Kudo'd and asked for more! Well, as you will receive!! This is pretty much just a Fluff chapter, with the actual story arch started in the next chapter. I will be updating the tags and such as the story develops because I don't want to give anything away!
> 
>  
> 
> Postings may be slow starting next week, I'm starting a new job across the country for 2 months so postings may be only every other week, but I'm going to try for once a week! Let me know your thoughts!
> 
> Thanks again for all the wonderful support! Hope you enjoy!


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